Linked Universe Randomness

What if: The Links' phobias

He groaned at the throbbing in his skull and made an effort to touch it. To his distress he found that he could not move his arm. Frantically, he glanced to his right. His arm was stretched outward and chained to the wall with no slack to grant him movement. He was suddenly very aware of the ache across his shoulders and back. A glance down at his legs revealed that he was fixed above the floor and currently incapable of moving his legs either as the were shackled to the floor not unlike his arms.

"How... how did I get here?" He wondered as he glanced about his cell. An inkling of anxiety began to grow when he noticed that all of the walls were made of dark stone and the door appeared to be a thick sheet of metal. It was impossible to know what was happening outside of the room because of the lack of windows.

The darkness seemed to curl in on him even though his eyes had adjusted to it. The air was cold and it bit at his lungs as he breathed it in. He shivered, causing the chains to clink.

"Where is everyone?" It was so quiet. His breaths sounded painfully loud to his ears. "No one's here..."

His breathing picked up and his head and heart started pounding rapidly as panic settled in. This room was too narrow. The ceiling was unnervingly low. It would crush him. He needed the sky. He needed to see the sky.

He yanked fruitlessly at the chains sending a twinge of pain up his arms. He cried out in frustration and panic before letting himself droop in exhaustion. Eyes wide yet unseeing, he breathed shaky breaths as his ears rang unbearably.

***

"The shadow is retreating!" Twilight yelled to Time over the din of the battle. "Go find him! We'll take care of the rest here!"

"Alright! Be careful!" Time answered his successor. He turned to their shortest member. "You're with me, Smithy."

"Got it!" Four confirmed and followed after.

A moment later Wild ran alongside them. "Let me come too."

Four's eyes narrowed slightly at the older boy. He sighed. "Fine. Be sure to keep your emotions in check Champion."

Wild merely grunted in reply.

Finally, they arrived at the dungeon underneath the abandoned castle. It was cold, dark and damp like a cave. Almost all the way down the hall of cells the doors were open. They carefully made their way through, wary of any traps that might presently spring.

When at last they stood before the only closed door, Four glanced about cautiously. "There weren't any traps. Strange... It's almost like the shadow wanted us to find Sky. It gave the battle up so easily... What's it's motive here?"

"It's like it's observing us, our actions, how we react to what it does." Time hypothesized as he watched Wild break open the lock on the metal door.

The door was shoved open with a shriek of metal on stone and Time heard Four gasp upon entering the room. Glancing up, he rushed forward.

"Sky! Are you alright?" Time gently lifted the young man's chin off his chest to see his face.

Sky blinked slowly but he seemed to stare straight through the hero of time with his eyes clouded. His breathing was harsh and shallow and his frame shook with each breath.

Time frowned. He glanced to the boys next to him. "Smithy, Champion, get the chains off him. I'll make sure he doesn't fall."

"Got it!" Four replied already digging out his fire and ice rods. He handed one to Wild and set to work. "Freeze the right one. Lower the temperature as much as you can then switch with me."